ZIP code
51537
in Harlan, IowaPopulation 6,382
51.21/ 100
Ranked #14,536 of 32,066 US ZIPs (top 45%)
Ranked #551 of 922 Iowa ZIPs (bottom 40%)
Ranks are modeled estimates — ZIPs a few hundred places apart are effectively tied.
What defines this ZIP
Metrics where this ZIP sits in the tails of the national distribution — the ones that most set it apart. Select any tile for its definition and methodology.
Radon
5.9 pCi/L
in the top 0.03% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST99thUS99thDefinition & source ›
The modeled typical indoor radon level for this area, in picocuries per liter — the EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above.
Modeled from indoor-radon measurements. In Alaska and Hawaii, where those measurements are not published, a US Geological Survey geologic radon-potential category stands in — a coarser input, disclosed rather than hidden.
Full methodology ›Pharmacy access
0.77 per 1,000 residents
in the top 1.9% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST97thUS98thDefinition & source ›
The number of pharmacies located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Distance to a community health center
29.3 mi
in the top 4.2% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST90thUS96thDefinition & source ›
The distance in miles from this ZIP’s edge to the nearest federally funded community health center, which serves patients regardless of ability to pay.
Full methodology ›Nitrate in drinking water
1.7%
in the top 5.9% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST93rdUS94thDefinition & source ›
The modeled share of this area’s domestic-well groundwater at or above the federal nitrate limit of 10 milligrams per liter.
A modeled likelihood for untreated groundwater, the source drawn on by private wells, which are federally unregulated. It is not a measurement of treated water delivered by a public system, and it is not a test of any individual well.
Full methodology ›Mental-health provider access
0.15 per 1,000 residents
in the top 6.5% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST94thUS94thDefinition & source ›
The number of mental-health clinics located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Dental provider access
0.92 per 1,000 residents
in the top 8.1% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST96thUS92ndDefinition & source ›
The number of dental offices located inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Elder-services access
0.15 per 1,000 residents
in the top 9.8% nationally
Higher is healthier
ST85thUS90thDefinition & source ›
The number of services for older adults and people with disabilities inside this ZIP’s boundary, per 1,000 residents.
Counted from establishments located inside this ZIP’s boundary, so one just across the line is not counted. Where a ZIP has too few residents for the density to be reliable, no value is published rather than an unreliable one.
Full methodology ›Expected annual disaster loss
$0
in the top 11.4% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST96thUS89thDefinition & source ›
FEMA’s modeled estimate, in dollars per year, of the average harm to people expected from natural hazards — an annualized average, not a forecast for any single year.
Full methodology ›Outer-floodplain exposure
2.2%
in the top 14.0% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST91stUS86thDefinition & source ›
The share of this ZIP’s land area inside FEMA’s 0.2%-annual-chance flood band — the “500-year” zone, a lower but real 1-in-500 yearly chance.
Measured from FEMA’s mapped flood panels. Where a panel has not been mapped, no value is published for that ZIP — those ZIPs are absent from this comparison rather than counted as unexposed.
Full methodology ›Industrial-pollution burden
in the bottom 25% nationally
Lower is healthier
ST9thUS25thDefinition & source ›
The EPA’s modeled screening score for industrial chemical releases, weighting the amounts released by their toxicity and how many people live nearby — a relative comparison score, not a measured exposure.
Full methodology ›The read
Overall, Harlan, Iowa (ZIP 51537) lands in the top 45% healthiest ZIPs nationally (14,536th) and the bottom 40% of Iowa (551st).
The picture here is genuinely mixed, with readings on both sides: pharmacy rests in the top 1.9% nationally. Distance to an emergency room stands at the national minimum, shared with about 11% of ZIPs. Mental-health providers lies in the top 6.5% nationally, dental providers lands in the top 8.1% nationally, and elder services sits in the top 9.8% nationally. Modeled short sleep is in the bottom 11.0% nationally. On the other side, modeled radon settles in the top 0.03% nationally, distance to a community health center resides in the top 4.2% nationally, and modeled nitrate registers in the top 5.9% nationally. Modeled expected annual loss rests in the top 11.4% nationally.
A note on the terms: radon is a radioactive soil gas the EPA identifies as the top cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Nitrate is a groundwater compound from fertilizer, manure, and sewage, here a modeled estimate of the chance private-well levels exceed a benchmark. Expected annual loss is FEMA's modeled estimate, in dollars, of average yearly harm to people from natural hazards. For a healthier nearby comparison, ZIP 51446, just across the boundary, ranks better overall.
What’s driving this score
Nine domains make up the ZipVitals Score — here is how this ZIP does on each, and how much each one counts.
Compared with the ZIP codes measured across all nine scoring domains — not with all US ZIP codes.
Lifting this score
Preventive Care
healthier than 81%
13%
Mental Health
healthier than 76%
8%
About typical
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 60%
16%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 47%
11%
Disability
healthier than 48%
7%
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 53%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 36%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 27%
14%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 5%
5%
Lifting this score
Social Need / SDOH
healthier than 76%
16%
Preventive Care
healthier than 70%
13%
Risk Behavior
healthier than 69%
11%
Mental Health
healthier than 61%
8%
About typical
Climate / Disaster Risk
healthier than 43%
5%
Holding it back
Chronic Disease Burden
healthier than 21%
21%
Environmental Hazard
healthier than 38%
14%
Disability
healthier than 24%
7%
Healthcare Access
healthier than 13%
5%
“Share” is how much of this ZIP’s score the domain accounts for. Percentages are rounded; higher is healthier in every domain. How the score works, and who it compares you with ›
Nearby & similar ZIPs
Editorially selected — see how this ZIP compares to nearby and similar places.
Nearby
51446
Iowashares a border
Score 54.14
Closest healthier
51447
Iowashares a border
Score 55.00
Similar health profile
51449
Iowa98% similar profile
Score 51.69
How these were chosen: only ZIPs with a published Score appear — a nearby ZIP with too little data to score won’t. Nearby means closest by distance between ZIP boundaries, which can cross state lines. A similar health profile is a close match across the nine Score domains, not similar demographics. Distances are measured between ZIP boundaries — ZIPs that touch share a border. How distance is measured
Evidence
Every measure this page draws on, by source. Collapsed by default — the full data stays in the page for search engines either way.
Health OutcomesCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Arthritis among adults | 32.6% | 29.1–36.4 |
| High blood pressure among adults | 38.5% | 34.2–43.0 |
| Cancer (non-skin) or melanoma among adults | 10.9% | 9.9–12.0 |
| Current asthma among adults | 10.3% | 9.1–11.6 |
| Coronary heart disease among adults | 8.3% | 7.3–9.2 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among adults | 8.6% | 7.4–9.8 |
| Depression among adults | 20.2% | 17.1–23.6 |
| Diagnosed diabetes among adults | 13.1% | 11.3–15.1 |
| High cholesterol among adults who have ever been screened | 39.2% | 34.8–43.7 |
| Obesity among adults | 38.5% | 31.0–46.8 |
| Stroke among adults | 4.1% | 3.7–4.6 |
| All teeth lost among adults aged >=65 years | 14.3% | 11.7–17.0 |
PreventionCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Current lack of health insurance among adults aged 18-64 years | 7.1% | 5.8–8.7 |
| Taking medicine to control high blood pressure among adults with high blood pressure | 81.5% | 78.9–83.9 |
| Visits to doctor for routine checkup within the past year among adults | 79.7% | 76.2–82.7 |
| Cholesterol screening among adults | 86.4% | 84.6–88.0 |
| Colorectal cancer screening among adults aged 45–75 years | 68.7% | 63.7–73.0 |
| Visited dentist or dental clinic in the past year among adults | 69.6% | 66.1–72.6 |
| Mammography use among women aged 50-74 years | 78.5% | 71.3–84.2 |
Health Risk BehaviorsCDC PLACES 2022 / 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Binge drinking among adults | 18.5% | 15.3–21.9 |
| Current cigarette smoking among adults | 16.2% | 13.9–18.9 |
| No leisure-time physical activity among adults | 27.9% | 23.5–32.9 |
| Short sleep duration among adults | 30.3% | 24.5–36.2 |
Health StatusCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor self-rated health status among adults | 20.3% | 17.6–23.3 |
| Frequent mental distress among adults | 15.8% | 14.0–17.9 |
| Frequent physical distress among adults | 14.6% | 12.8–16.6 |
DisabilityCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive disability among adults | 13.6% | 12.0–15.4 |
| Any disability among adults | 32.4% | 28.3–36.9 |
| Hearing disability among adults | 9.4% | 8.4–10.6 |
| Independent living disability among adults | 8.3% | 7.3–9.4 |
| Mobility disability among adults | 15.8% | 13.6–18.1 |
| Self-care disability among adults | 4.0% | 3.6–4.5 |
| Vision disability among adults | 4.9% | 4.4–5.5 |
Health-Related Social NeedsCDC PLACES 2023 · BRFSS
| Measure | Crude prevalence | 95% CI |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of social and emotional support among adults | 23.2% | 20.0–26.8 |
| Food insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 11.7% | 9.7–13.9 |
| Received food stamps in the past 12 months among adults | 10.2% | 8.5–12.1 |
| Housing insecurity in the past 12 months among adults | 8.7% | 7.4–10.2 |
| Lack of reliable transportation in the past 12 months among adults | 6.5% | 5.7–7.4 |
| Loneliness among adults | 30.6% | 25.9–35.5 |
| Utility services shut-off threat in the past 12 months among adults | 6.2% | 5.3–7.1 |
Community & economyCensus ACS 5-Year · 2024 release · observed
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 10.6% (3.1–25.8%) n=32,364 | 8.5% (2.7–19.1%) n=931 |
| Uninsured 18–64 | 3.0% | 9.0% (1.5–24.3%) n=32,286 | 5.4% (0.7–14.7%) n=931 |
| No HS diploma (25+) | 5.6% | 7.9% (1.8–20.7%) n=32,505 | 5.1% (1.6–12.9%) n=932 |
| Bachelor's or higher (25+) | 25.1% | 23.3% (9.2–53.6%) n=32,505 | 20.9% (9.8–36.8%) n=932 |
| Unemployment rate (16+) | 4.1% | 3.9% (0.0–9.8%) n=32,274 | 2.2% (0.0–6.7%) n=932 |
| Households without a vehicle | 4.5% | 3.9% (0.0–12.5%) n=32,322 | 2.4% (0.0–7.9%) n=931 |
| Broadband subscription | 85.5% | 89.3% (75.1–97.1%) n=32,322 | 88.5% (77.9–95.1%) n=931 |
| Housing cost burden (≥30% income) | 26.0% | 23.7% (10.6–40.0%) n=32,322 | 18.2% (9.0–28.8%) n=931 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.1% | 78.7% (51.7–94.0%) n=32,322 | 82.1% (66.8–93.5%) n=931 |
| Crowded housing (>1 per room) | 0.0% | 1.3% (0.0–6.3%) n=32,322 | 0.4% (0.0–3.3%) n=931 |
| Foreign-born population | 1.8% | 2.6% (0.0–18.6%) n=32,553 | 1.0% (0.0–7.2%) n=932 |
| Single-parent households | 54.9% | 53.6% (37.3–74.1%) n=32,087 | 56.8% (43.7–75.5%) n=928 |
| Population 65+ | 23.4% | 19.4% (10.8–33.6%) n=32,553 | 20.2% (12.7–31.0%) n=932 |
| Median age | 43.0 yr | 42.2 yr (33.0–56.3) n=32,292 | 42.7 yr (34.1–54.7) n=931 |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $72,070 ($46,039–$118,707) n=30,318 | $73,848 ($55,055–$102,762) n=911 |
| Median home value | $166,800 | $222,200 ($100,300–$579,820) n=30,049 | $161,100 ($93,820–$278,170) n=892 |
| Median gross rent | $790 | $1,021 ($677–$1,912) n=25,670 | $825 ($614–$1,113) n=771 |
Life expectancyNCHS / RWJF USALEEP · model-based
| Measure | Value | US median (p10–p90) | IA median (p10–p90) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.1 yr ± 1.01 | 78.9 yr (74.7–82.8) n=31,308 | 80.0 yr (77.2–83.4) n=917 |
About the ± — it’s this estimate’s give-or-take (statisticians call it the standard error). The true life expectancy for this ZIP most likely falls within 1.01 years of 79.1, and it’s very unlikely to be off by more than twice that.
More ZIPs to explore ▾More ZIPs to explore ▴
How these lists were built: they draw only from ZIPs that have a published Score, so ZIPs with too little data to score are not listed. Distance-based lists use distance between ZIP boundaries with no state filter, so an out-of-state ZIP can appear. Statistically similar means a close match across the nine Score domains, not a demographic match: the measure is the cosine similarity between two ZIPs’ domain scores, taken over the domains both ZIPs have data for and only where that overlap covers at least six of the nine — and where no ZIP clears that minimum-overlap floor, that list is left out rather than filled with a weak match. How distance is measured